Web-Based Education Prior to Outpatient Orthopaedic Surgery Enhances Early Patient Satisfaction Scores: A Prospective...

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Patient Education
• Digital Health

Background:

• Effective patient-surgeon relationships depend on thorough preoperative education.
• Multimedia resources, including web-based tools, are increasingly used to improve perioperative care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of an interactive web-based education tool on patient satisfaction after outpatient orthopedic procedures.
• To test the hypothesis that pre-operative web-based education improves patient satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial (Level 1 evidence) was conducted.
• Patients undergoing knee or shoulder arthroscopy were randomized to receive routine surgeon education or additional web-based education.
• Patient satisfaction was measured using the Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (OAS CAHPS) survey.

Main Results:

• The study group receiving web-based education reported significantly higher total patient satisfaction scores (97 ± 5) than the control group (94 ± 8; P = .019).
• The web-based education group showed significantly better scores in the 'recovery' domain (92 ± 13 vs 82 ± 23; P = .001).
• Factors like age, sex, procedure type, or complexity did not affect satisfaction outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Supplemental web-based patient education effectively enhances patient satisfaction in outpatient orthopedic surgery.
• Interactive digital tools can positively influence the patient experience and recovery perception.